Polymers are widely used in a large variety of cosmetic agents. They are found in skin treatment agents, in hair treatment agents, in agents that can be washed off or out again immediately after use (“rinse-off” products), and in agents that remain on the skin or hair (“leave-on” agents). In the process, the polymers are used for many different reasons and specific properties of the polymers are taken advantage of in each case. In skin treatment agents, shampoos, conditioners and hair masques, the most important properties of the polymers are often the thickening or nourishing properties. In agents for temporarily shaping keratin fibers, also referred to in the following as styling agents, film-forming and/or stabilizing effects are in particular desired alongside the above properties. Polymers are often used as auxiliary agents to improve, or even enable, the deposition and setting of other active substances and ingredients on the skin or the hair. In this way, by adding appropriate polymers to hair dyes for example, the rub-fastness and durability of the dying can be increased.
Generally, cosmetic agents include individual polymers that are specially designed to achieve a very specific effect. If various effects are desired, multiple polymers have to be added. If too many different polymers are used, however, this may produce a number of drawbacks. Problems can occur for example during the formulation, for example because the polymers react with one another or with other constituents of the agent and may precipitate out or break down. Some polymers have a tendency to be deposited on the skin, and in particular on the hair, in such a resistant manner that they can no longer be completely removed with a normal wash, and the polymer accumulates in an undesirable manner and the skin or hair thus ultimately becomes loaded therewith.
Consequently, there is a constant need for polymers or suitable combinations of a small number of polymers that exhibit as many of the desired properties as possible at the same time.
In the case of the styling agents, for example, the polymers used have to provide the hair being treated with as strong a hold as possible. In addition to a high degree of hold, however, styling agents have to satisfy a whole array of other requirements. These can be roughly grouped into properties on the hair, properties of the formulation in each case, e.g. properties of the mousse, the gel or the sprayed aerosol, and properties relating to the handling of the styling agent, with the properties on the hair being particularly important. These include in particular resistance to moisture, low stickiness and a balanced conditioning effect. Furthermore, a styling agent should be able to be used as universally as possible for all hair types. If the styling agent is a gel or a paste, the polymers should also have thickening properties.
The special requirements placed on styling agents are the general hold of the hairstyle and, in the case of curly hair, the degree of curl retention. In this case, “curl retention” is a measure of the degree of curl retention. The curl retention typically worsens if the treated hair is in a humid environment since the tendency of the hair to absorb moisture, i.e. water, causes the strands of hair to hang down limply.
Therefore, the object of the present invention was to provide styling compositions that bring about considerably better curl retention, in particular considerably improved high humidity curl retention, i.e. a better degree of curl retention even in humid environments, preferably whilst further improving the hold and the feel of the hair, e.g. making the hair more pleasant to the touch and easier to comb.
These objects were solved by a specific combination of polymer(s) and particular esters.
Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with this background of the invention.